Aescwine (?) King of Wessex died in 676.1 He was King of the West Saxons: [Ashley, p. 305] AESCWINE West Saxons, 674-6. One of the many sub-kings who partitioned Wessex amongst themselves after the death of CENWEALH. One chronicle records that Aescwine's father, Cenfus, also claimed the kingship. Both claimed descent from Ceolwulf, the son of CYNRIC (who may be the same CEOLWULF who ruled seventy years earlier). Aescwine's name may have survived because he alone amongst the claimants defeated WULFHERE of Mercia, late in 674 or early 675. The battle was doubtless over territory just north of the Thames. Aescwine ruled for only two years, yet he must have been a young man, so we must deduce he died of an illness or was mortally wounded or killed in battle. He was succeeded by CENTWINE. between 674 and 676.1

Cuthred II (?) died in 756.1 He was King of the West Saxons: [Ashely, pp. 310-311] CUTHRED (II) Wessex, 740-56. He was related to his predecessor ATHELHEARD, though if Symeon of Durham's suggestion that they were brothers is true, then he must have been elderly when he ascended the throne, because Athelheard was also supposed to be the brother-in-law of INE. According to the ASC, Cuthred "resolutely made war against ATHELBALD of Mercia", who had imposed his overlordship on Wessex. Although this entry is given in the first year of Cuthred's reign it is not evident that Cuthred did rebel immediately, though he may have made it known that he was not as weak a king as his brother. In 743 it is recorded that Cuthred fought alongside Athelbald against the Welsh. Athelbald had for many years had border problems with the Welsh and had started construction of Wat's Dyke, so it is probable that Cuthred was genuinely fighting against the people we now call the Welsh. But the origin of that word "welisc" meant "foreigners" in the Saxon tongue and was equally applied to all the native British. Cuthred's battle against the "Welsh" may have been against the British in Cornwall, and that is almost certainly what is meant by a similar entry in 753, when Cuthred alone is mentioned. Although Ine had conquered Devon, he had not conquered Cornwall, and there were almost certainly border skirmishes and local insurrections throughout the eighth and ninth centuries. Cuthred may have been able to contain the conflict, but he made no progress towards conquering Cornwall. In the second half of his reign he had to face the inevitable uprisings by claimants to the throne. The ASC records, without explanation, that in 748, Cynric, prince of Wessex, was slain, and that in 750 Cuthred fought against Athelhun, "the presumptuous ealdorman"! Although Cuthred weathered these storms it shows that his control at home was not absolute, and it may have been this that caused him to assert himself against Athelbald. Bede records that in 750 Cuthred "rose against Athelbald", and this was the start of hostilities that culminated in the battle of Beorhford in 752, where Cuthred defeated Athelbald. From then on he must have reclaimed his independence from Mercia and gained control again over lands in Berkshire and Wiltshire. By the time he died in 756, Cuthred must have been comfortable in the knowledge that he had restored the status of the West Saxons, though he did not realise that this would be short-lived. He does not seem to have nominated an heir and he was succeeded by SIGEBERT. between 740 and 756.1

Athelheard (?) King of Wessex married Frithugyth (?) of Mercia.1Athelheard (?) King of Wessex died in 740.1 He was King of the West Saxons: [Ashley, p. 310] ATHELHEARD Wessex, 726-40. When INE abdicated in 726, he left behind a kingdom to which he had given shape and form but which in its final years had become wracked by internal dynastic strife, and this continued. Ine had evidently not nominated a successor or, if he had, it was disputed between two athelings, Athelheard and Oswald. Oswald's pedigree given in the ASC shows his descent from CEAWLIN (or probably more accurately CUTHA), but Athelheard's ancestry is not known. A copy of an ancient charter (later found to be forged, but which may contain some truth) noted that Athelheard was the brother of Ine's wife. If this is true Athelheard may have been middle-aged. ATHELBALD of Mercia used this dynastic division to impose his authority over Wessex. He supported Athelheard's claim, and thereafter the West Saxon king was beholden to Mercia. The later West Saxon chroniclers who composed the ASC must have regarded this as a sign of weakness, because they troubled to record the date of Oswald's death in 730, suggesting that they supported him. Oswald probably continued to contest the throne until his death which would have further undermined Athelheard's control. It is likely that Athelheard's wife, Frithugyth, was also Mercian, related to Athelbald's sub-king, FRITHUWOLD. Athelheard therefore appears as a weak king dominated by his Mercian patron. This allowed Athelbald considerable leeway. In 733 he invaded Somerset, captured Somerton, and brought much of western Wessex directly under Mercian control. Athelbald also took control of Berkshire, always a disputed territory, much of Wiltshire, extending Mercia's borders south of the Thames and into the West Saxon heartlands, and of Sussex. Athelheard seemed powerless against this. In fact Athelheard had to support Athelbald in his campaigns against the Welsh. Little else is known of Athelheard's reign. In 737 it is recorded that his wife Frithugyth journeyed to Rome with bishop Forthhere of Sherborne, but nothing else is said about this. between 726 and 740.1